Supporting Students and Addressing Concerning Behavior Dean of Students Office Becky Freer, Assistant Dean of Students Rob Longwell-Grice, Interim Associate Dean of Students Supporting Students and Addressing Concerning Behavior

Student concerns you may encounter Homelessness, food insecurity, financial troubles, severe illness, medical emergencies Signs of substance abuse, weight change, poor hygiene, sleeping in class, cuts or bruises Change in behavior, quality of assignments, participation, and attendance Cheating, plagiarizing Disruption, outbursts, aggression, violence Allusions to violence, threats Strange communication patterns, paranoia, emotional disconnection (e.g. blank stares) Crying, depression, suicide ideation

What to do? Talk to the student -if possible after class or in an office. Genuinely listen. Acknowledge the student’s concerns and avoid judgment. Set limits and expectations; be firm. Ask the student questions to assess their intentions. e.g. What have you thought about doing? Connect the student to resources. Look out for your safety: have another staff member nearby or contact UWM PD to request officer presence. Do not promise confidentiality (threats to self and others, and abuse must be reported). UWM Administrative Policy S-9 “Behavior Cases Impeding Learning Process” Norris Health Center publication “Assisting the Emotionally Distressed Student”

ALWAYS SUBMIT A REPORT TO: www.care.uwm.edu Reporting concerns Emergencies: contact UWM PD at 9-911 Counseling and Consultation: walk students to Norris Health Center or call x4716 Consultation and reporting: contact the Dean of Students Office at x4632 or dos@uwm.edu ALWAYS SUBMIT A REPORT TO: www.care.uwm.edu

How the Dean of Students Office can help Consult with faculty and staff about student behavior and legal ways to respond Lead the Student Support Team Provide ongoing student support and advocacy Respond to crises and emergencies Assess potential threats Coordinate campus response to student deaths Grant medical tuition credits Adjudicate non-academic misconduct cases Facilitate academic misconduct process

Student Support Team Supports student retention and a healthy campus community by identifying students in distress and coordinating appropriate interventions. Committee meets weekly and includes: Dean of Students Office Norris Health Center University Housing Student Success Center Student Accessibility Center By invitation: units directly connected to the student

Student Conduct Guided by UW System Administrative Codes Chapter 14: Academic Misconduct Chapter 17: Non-academic Misconduct Chapter 18: Conduct on University Lands Guarantees “Due Process” for students Right to notification of reports Right to a hearing If found responsible for violating the Code, the student may face sanctions ranging from a warning to expulsion from UW System.

Examples of recent cases Kurt: readmitted after being academically dismissed Georgia: referred to our office for plagiarism William: sent an instructor an email suggesting he might commit suicide Josh: posted on Facebook that he wanted to shoot his professor Kurt: Complained the University wasn’t helping him. Faculty reported aggressive/combative behavior. Met with him and determined he was not a threat. In treatment for anger management. Chronic medical condition. Food Scarcity. Non-traditional aged. Smart. No familiarity with technology and navigating University. Pride interfered with seeking help. Determined. Failing grades for 2 semesters. Department readmitted him. Still does not have a 2.0 cumulative. Has 2.0 semester GPA propped up by sport and rec classes. Maxing out Aid. Ethics of leading him on? Georgia: Professor found student unstable after meeting about academic misconduct and questioned appropriate sanctions. Advised not to change standards. Learned of multiple suicide attempts from housing. Learned of panic attacks from advisor. Learned of potential disconnect from reality from counselors. No independent living skills. Offered number of options for her to focus on herself. No ability to force her to do anything. We persistantly guided her to get appropriate medical care. Ultimately, she failed out. William: Instructor contacted our office. We advised her to contact student and followed guidelines for talking to students (earlier slide). We contacted student. Student did not want to talk to us. Contacted other faculty member and discovered more concerning behaviors. Had police do a welfare check. Reached out to him on a regular basis. Months later responded. Currently working on mental health and plans to return to school. Josh: Posting on facebook led to arrest. Led to emergency suspension. Had documentation from other offices to show a gradual escalation of behavior (annoying employers through a career placement website, frustrated with faculty, frustrated with landlord, lower levels of disruption). Took him through non-academic misconduct process. Had documentation to support elevated sanction removing him from campus and completion of a psychological assessment

Dean of Students Office Tom McGinnity, Interim Dean of Students Robert Longwell-Grice, Interim Associate Dean of Students Becky Freer, Assistant Dean of Students for Student Support Dan Kast, Assistant Dean of Students for Student Conduct Pahoua Xiong, Graduate Student for Student Conduct Parna Banerjee, Graduate Student for Student Support Mellencamp 118 414-229-4632 dos@uwm.edu Submit reports to www.care.uwm.edu